Dear IWS friends, the surprises are not over with the conclusion of Geneva Watch Days, in fact they have just begun!
“A watch that shows only hours, minutes and seconds represents the most essential form of our art. Distilling complexity down to its purest and simplest embodiment allows for a unique work of art, expressed with absolute discipline and perfection.” This is how Biver’s patron and co-founder Jean Claude Biver begins, commenting on their latest watchmaking creation.
After the Carillon Tourbillon Minute Repeater, Biver’s first highly crafted timepiece (basically a minute repeater with a tourbillon device, the case and bracelet in rose gold or titanium, and the dial in hard stone), the time has come for the maison to launch their first watch with an automatic movement.
So we welcome the new Biver Automatique, a watch that we liked right from the start and that is sure to be talked about a lot.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
The Biver Automatique
In short, a new chapter for this young haute horlogerie company, which decides to go all out for elegance and a contemporary look. As it declares, “illusory simplicity” wins here, namely the three spheres on the dial, marking the hours, minutes and seconds, which can convey a sense of calmness and essentiality.
The solid gold, white and rose gold dials, both 18K, are housed in a 39mm platinum or rose gold case, and both feature a series of hand-applied finishes that add depth and three-dimensionality.
All of this is further emphasized by the applied 18-karat gold indexes, matching spheres (both with anthracite finishes for better readability), the applied and mirror-polished “Biver” signature at 12 o’clock, and the applied 18-karat gold bezel around the perimeter.
The case and lugs are brushed and echo the finishes on the dial. The crown at 3 o’clock also has a very elaborate aesthetic with the polished exterior and the inner part also brushed with the company’s acronym in bas-relief in the center.
Thanks to its visible case back made of precious sapphire crystal, it is possible to admire what cannot be called “simply a movement.” At the heart of the Biver Automatique is the brand-new Calibre JCB-003, which was developed in close collaboration with Dubois Depraz’s partners and was designed from the ground up as the basis not only for this watch, but also for future watches from the house.
A treat of this caliber is the resetting mechanism that allows the second hand to return to 12 o’clock when the crown is pulled out to the time-setting position, allowing the user to set the time accurately to the second.
In addition to the finely crafted 22-karat gold micro-rotor, we find finishes that I would dare call knockout.
The shapes of the bridges are sculpted to reveal the mechanisms of the gear train, barrel, and winding system, and each element features a combination of guilloché, anglage, and black polish that gives the whole a refined appearance. In particular, the Clou de Paris guilloché motifs that adorn the bridges vary in scale, creating a circular movement around the micro-rotor and contributing to the dynamism of the caliber’s overall appearance.
The Atelier Series
The hard stone dials perfectly embody Biver’s idea and philosophy: to make each watch unique and eternal. With this intent, in addition to the two watches seen above, the brand will produce a limited quantity of Automatique watches with stone dials each year.
These unique watches will be part of the Atelier Series and represent the very essence of Biver watchmaking. Each stone will only be available for a limited time and in small quantities, allowing the brand to tell different stories over time for different stones.
To inaugurate the Atelier Series, Biver will present two versions of Automatique with a stone dial: a model with a platinum case and a rich black sandblasted obsidian dial, and a model with an 18k rose gold case and a pietersite dial (a dark blue stone with white and orange swirls).
Prices for the Automatique model vary depending on the version: for the rose gold or platinum version, one will have to shell out from CHF 78,000 to CHF 108,000 while for the Atelier versions, they range from CHF 89,000 to CHF 121,000.
Final Remarks
In short, Jean-Claude Biver is one of the most influential and respected figures in the world of Swiss watchmaking.
With a career spanning more than four decades, Biver played a crucial role in the renaissance of some of watchmaking’s most iconic brands and introduced innovations that redefined the entire industry.
The passion for watchmaking, the tradition of the Swiss manufacture, and its bold and visionary approach are imbued in their two productions, particularly in their latest creation with an automatic movement.
What do you think of these Swiss masterpieces?
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